All posts by h716a5.icu

Sri Lanka’s visually impaired cricket team has had its bid to attend the World Cup for the Blind in South Africa bolstered, thanks to funds raised by Sri Lanka Cricket and the visiting South Africa team

Andrew Fidel Fernando22-Jul-2014Sri Lanka’s visually impaired cricket team has had its bid to attend the World Cup for the Blind in South Africa bolstered, thanks to funds raised by Sri Lanka Cricket and the visiting South Africa team. SLC and Standard Chartered had organised three fundraisers for the Sri Lanka Visually Handicapped XI. Angelo Mathews presented the Sri Lanka Visually Handicapped XI a cheque for the 925,000 Sri Lankan rupees (USD $7300 approx.), on Tuesday.The money had been raised via tickets for a meet-and-greet with both teams, a coaching camp for kids, and an online auction for the chance to meet the players at the ground and receive an autographed ball.”This is an additional dimension to international cricket tours and a chance for us all to support our national visually handicapped team,” SLC cricket operations manager Carlton Bernadus said. “They recently trounced the touring Australian Visually Handicapped XI 4-0 in a 40-over series. The team has high hopes for the World Cup in South Africa.”The World Cup for the Blind will be held in November.

After adding another half-century against Sussex, Phillip Hughes admitted it was not ideal being shunted up and down the order for Australia

Brydon Coverdale in Hove26-Jul-2013Phillip Hughes doesn’t bowl but he’s rapidly becoming a different type of allrounder in this Australia line-up. After all, how many players can say they have batted in every position from opener to No. 6 in the space of five games? More than that, how many players could say they have done it with the success of Hughes, who has scored half-centuries everywhere except No. 4 on this Ashes tour?It was not surprising that after his 84 as a reinstated opener on the first day against Sussex, Hughes used the word “frustrating” to describe his constant shimmying up and down the order. But if the tour seems like one long game of snakes and ladders to Hughes, he also knows that he has in his power the ability to make one of these positions his own. Instead, two scores of 1 batting at second drop at Lord’s have potentially made him vulnerable ahead of the Old Trafford Test.David Warner’s 193 for Australia A in South Africa and Steven Smith’s potential century at Hove could have the selectors considering Hughes’ place in the lead-up to the third Test. That would be a strange scenario for the man who has scored more runs in the first-class matches on this tour than any other Australian, and the man who made a mature, patient unbeaten 81 at Trent Bridge, while his partner Ashton Agar was stealing the attention.”I feel like I’m very comfortable at the crease at the moment,” Hughes said. “The last Test match obviously didn’t go to plan personally but it’s only one game. I felt like the first Test match, the 80 I scored was probably one of the better innings I’ve scored in the international arena. Overall I feel confident and hopefully I’ll be in that third Test side when it’s selected. But you never know … we’ll have to just wait and see.”It’s quite bizarre [moving up and down the order] … At times it can be tough to get your head around the different positions but you’ve just got to get on with it and that’s the bottom line … I don’t mind where I bat but when you do bat one to six, mentally it can be frustrating. It is about opportunity as well. If you do get one position you do want to nail it down. I haven’t nailed it down and that is why they have mixed it up and given people an opportunity.”Hughes started the tour with an unbeaten 76 batting at No. 5 against Somerset and was promoted to No.3 in the second innings of that match, when he made 50. In the second warm-up match against Worcestershire he made 19 not out at No. 6 and 86 at first drop. But since his 81 not out at No.6 in the first innings at Trent Bridge, he has followed up with 0, 1 and 1, and he knows that Test runs will count for vastly more than those against county attacks.”When you lose Test matches there are obviously changes,” he said. “When you lose it is not a good thing. It is about finding the right balance. You dont know what they are going to do. It is about improving day in and day out and doing the best you can in these games.”I think there’s always competition and that’s a good thing. It’s great to see Davey score a big 190 for Australia A and I thought we all batted quite well today. Ed Cowan up front, then Steve Smith and myself. It’s always been competition from the word go. That’s a good thing.”

A round-up of the fifth round of Ranji Trophy’s Group B matches on December 10, 2012

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Dec-2012
Scorecard
Odisha’s batting keeled over for the second time in the match to help Baroda to all seven points in Vadodara. Five of Odisha’s top six made single-digit scores as their side collapsed to 56 for 6, still needing plenty to make Baroda bat again. The lower order showed a bit more spine than the specialist batsmen in the side to help Odisha reach 123, at least averting the ignominy of an innings defeat. Debutant left-arm spinner Ketul Patel was Baroda’s most successful bowler, taking 4 for 36. Baroda were left needing four runs to win, and they didn’t even have to score those off the bat as four byes confirmed their victory. The result took Baroda, at least temporarily, to the top of the table with 20 points. Odisha have slipped from second to third place, and still remain strong contenders for a place in the knockouts.
Scorecard
Uttar Pradesh finally declared their first innings on the third morning, after Arif Alam reached his second successive century, and then steadily consolidated their advantage with regular strikes against Vidarbha. Hemang Badani, the batsman formerly of Tamil Nadu, top scored with an unbeaten 69 but with UP having scored a mountain of runs, Vidarbha needed big hundreds to stand a serious chance of getting the first-innings lead. Instead, opener Faiz Fazal and No. 3 Amol Ubarhande produced 40s, which were not enough to prevent UP from dominating the game.
Scorecard
Maharashtra gave themselves a chance of their first outright victory of the season by taking a massive lead in the first innings and setting Haryana’s fragile batting the challenge of seeing out the best part of four sessions to survive. Sangram Atitkar, who reached his century on Sunday, reached his career-best score of 190, and Kedar Jadhav made a hundred to lift Maharashtra towards 500. Faced with a 283-run deficit, Haryana lost their openers in the 26 overs before stumps, and need to find some batting solidity on the final day to salvage a point.

After reaching their second successive semi-final in a global event, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson stressed on the importance of ‘smart cricket’ to get them past a tricky opposition

Sidharth Monga29-Mar-20161:31

We’ve shown an ability to adapt to conditions – Munro

They all say that you have to play the big matches as if it were just another game. New Zealand might have that covered through their captain Kane Williamson. At the best of the times he is understated and levelled, but when you see that a buzzing phone bothers him more than a question about the perceived lack of ruthlessness in the World Cup final, you know this team is taking it as just another game.When asked about “the time of their lives” in the World Cup last year, having come up short against “ruthless” Australians, and what lessons they took from there, Williamson said: “Australia are a very good cricket side. They beat us. That’s fine. That can happen in cricket.”From our perspective we want to keep improving as a unit. We are not looking too far down the track, of changing personalities or looking to make drastic changes. We just want to keep taking small steps forward as a team. Hope that brings a consistent improvement. Respect the game, you can win, you can lose. T20 is more fickle than any format. Go into the game, play fearless cricket, and play smart cricket as well.”Apart from fearless cricket, New Zealand have played a lot of canny cricket. Their selections, and success thereof in all four matches, have come as a surprise for others, but it is business as usual for Williamson and coach Mike Hesson. “I think in terms of my perspective and our coach they are not surprises to us,” Williamson said. “We are simply trying to pick horses for courses, our best side for the given conditions against the given opposition at that point of time. That certainly won’t change.”The success of New Zealand has been the readiness of replacements whenever they are called upon. Mitchell McClenaghan was called in at the last minute in Dharamsala against Australia, and he ended up as the Man of the Match. Tim Southee and Trent Boult, who have not played any game in this World T20, will be a chance here: David Willey has swung the ball in matches in Delhi. Williamson said he didn’t need to bother about that.”They’re very much ready to go,” Williamson said. “Like I said, we still haven’t decided on our side. We will be looking closely at the conditions and the history I suppose of what the wicket has produced and try and pick up a side.”It doesn’t rule out the importance of the two main spinners, though. “Our spinners have been brilliant on surfaces that have suited spin bowling,” Williamson said. “And perhaps the best track we played on in Mohali, they still played a big part. We’re not quite sure what to expect. A few games have been played on it [the Delhi pitch] recently.”A phone kept buzzing, Williamson kept looking at the media manager, and then he provided the most fun answer when asked about the amount of travel New Zealand have had to undertake in playing all their four league matches at different venues. In Dharamsala they got their first look of the pitch on the day of the match. By comparison England have played only in two venues, both of which are hosting semi-finals.”That’s great,” Williamson said. “We’ve been able to see more of India than most opposition sides. It’s one of those things. Surely it just happened by co-incidence? They guys embraced it, embraced the flights and enjoyed the variety of hotels.”

It has taken almost 18 months and a couple of operations, but Chris Tremlett finally feels he is ready to return for the Investec Ashes series

George Dobell26-Jun-2013It has taken almost 18 months and a couple of operations, but Chris Tremlett finally feels he is ready to return for the Investec Ashes series.England have yet to be entirely convinced that he can play a part. They have not named him in their squad to face Essex at Chelmsford, beginning on Sunday, preferring another tall fast bowler in Warwickshire’s Boyd Rankin, but he remains of interest.Even when he was struggling to get out of bed and wondering if his career was over, he received encouraging phone calls from Andy Flower to remind him that he was in England’s plans. And now, at long last, he feels he is ready to return.Tremlett played the last of his 11 Tests against Pakistan, in Dubai, in January 2012. He flew home shortly afterwards with a back problem which required surgery and, while he attempted to comeback in the subsequent English domestic season, managed only one Championship game before injury intervened again and he was forced to undergo knee surgery.”If I was picked for a Test tomorrow I’d be confident,” Tremlett told ESPNcricinfo. “If you had asked me that three games into the season, my honest answer would have been that I’m not ready to play Test cricket. But now I have some games under my belt, I have my confidence back. I feel I’m ready now. I’ve no doubt.”Tremlett admitted that he had struggled for rhythm in the first couple of months of the season but felt back to something approaching his best in Surrey’s last Championship match against Yorkshire. While he only claimed two wickets, he delivered 48 overs at a sharp pace and, for the first time, felt he was back to the level that helped him earn 49 wickets in his first 10 Tests.”My body found it tough for the first two or three games of the season,” Tremlett said. “The first few games weren’t that enjoyable as it was such hard work on my back and knees. I was still feeling it a bit.”But I’m not far off my best now. Something clicked at Leeds. At Derby I took eight wickets and felt I bowled pretty well, but I felt better at Yorkshire. I ran in harder. I bowled 48 overs against Yorkshire and I was bowling as quickly in my last over as I was in my first. I’ve a lot my rhythm and a lot more trust in more body now.”Tremlett was a key part of England’s Ashes victory in Australia during 2010-11, when he claimed 17 wickets in three matches but admitted that, while he would love to return to that level, he would consider it “a bonus” after all his injury troubles.”I’d love to be back playing for England again,” Tremlett said. “That’s what motivates me when I train. It’s hard to top being at that level and playing in the Ashes while you’re in county cricket but it would be a bonus from the dark times I’ve had.”I would look at it as a bonus if I played for England again. After lying in theatre rooms and being opened up by surgeons, I’m grateful to just come back and play cricket at all.”I never thought it was over, but there were times when I thought I might struggle. There were times when I was in a lot of pain and I couldn’t get out of bed. So it’s nice to get through that, as other bowlers have, and it’s great to be playing and enjoying it.”I’ve been trying not to think about England too much. I’m trying to relax, play for Surrey and not think too far ahead. If I keep doing the right things for Surrey, I’ll work my way back into the England team. But I do feel confident that I’m almost back to my best now.”Chris Tremlett was speaking at the launch of the 2013 Friends Life t20 competition. For match ticket information visit ecb.co.uk/FLt20. #FLt20

Zafar Ansari and Gareth Batty spun Surrey to a convincing 10-wicket victory against Leicestershire at The Oval

Ryan Bailey25-Jun-2014
ScorecardZafar Ansari combined with Gareth Batty to work through Leicestershire’s second innings•PA PhotosZafar Ansari and Gareth Batty spun Surrey to a convincing 10-wicket victory against Leicestershire at The Oval, but not before Charlie Shreck had played the innings of his life.It was not long after Shreck had tottered to the middle at No 11 – with his side on the brink of another feeble spanking – that an official was ordered to lower the Leicestershire flag on top of the pavilion.Batty, Surrey’s veteran offspinner and the young slow left-armer Ansari, who led the way with 5 for 93, had shared the spoils as Leicestershire’s middle order offered little resistance on the final morning, collapsing from 213 for 5 to 225 for 9.But Shreck hit his maiden first-class half-century, at the age of 36, in an improbable last-wicket stand of 94 with Jigar Naik to leave Surrey requiring 69. Ansari and Rory Burns chased down the victory target of 69 with an element of disdain and minimal ado.Ansari’s stock is rising with every passing week and after scoring his maiden first-class century at Derby last week, he followed that up with his first five-wicket haul here to leave Leicestershire floundering. The prospect of them salvaging something from this game may have seemed improbable but was not unmanageable.Conditions, even on the fourth day, facilitated heavy run-scoring once batsmen had attuned themselves. The top-order all managed to pass twenty but Angus Robson apart, none could reign themselves in for the long haul. Until Shreck’s grandest hour, that is.Ned Eckersley, who had played with such composure on Tuesday evening, fell across a straight one from Matthew Dunn in the first over of the day and that set the tone for what was to follow. Such was the extent of their batting disintegration, Surrey were afforded the extra half hour before lunch to take the one wicket they required.But Shreck, unlike many of his team mates, has no inhibitions when he straps the pads on. An innings consisting of seven boundaries highlighted that as he and Naik, who played second fiddle but looked equally assured on his way to an unbeaten 37, curbed Surrey’s victory charge – temporarily at least.”I really enjoyed it,” Shreck said afterwards. “I was actually quite nervous over lunch which is strange because it’s normally over fear of getting hurt with bat rather than needing to score runs.”It was a lovely wicket to bat on but their spinners bowled nicely today. There was a bit of rough but we didn’t do ourselves any favours. There is a lot more ability in that dressing room than we’re actually showing which is disappointing.”We have a lot of learning to do especially when we have the opposition of that calibre seven down for not much in the first innings. We ran out of steam and we have to give them credit but we just didn’t bat properly first time and then we collapsed again today.”Leicestershire lost seven wickets in a morning session. Moreover, the manner in which the wickets fell typified a side devoid of all confidence as the procession had an element of inevitably about it. One member of the crowd even resorted to applauding each Leicestershire run as he looked to get value for his entry fee.”We’ve had a tough month,” Shreck continued. “There has been a lot of cricket that hasn’t gone our way and games in which we’ve been in a good position at the halfway point have been let slip. It’s not a fitness issue but just a knowledge thing. We need to keep going because the third day often decides the outcome of a game and it did here.”Surrey must take much of the credit though. Batty and Ansari bowled with patience as they induced the type of shots that hinted at a side completely out of their depth. Nathan Buck was lbw attempting an expansive sweep when the situation called for no-nonsense defence while Josh Cobb, the Leicestershire captain, managed to get bowled around his legs trying to work the ball for a single.The hosts could have been forgiven for contemplating what they would do with their afternoon off but found patience and composure when Shreck and Naik weathered the storm and overturned the deficit.”We are very proud of the guys because it was tough out there,” Graham Ford, Surrey’s head coach, said. “We were made to work hard and the group have come together quite nicely over the past few weeks, sticking together and supporting one another.”We’re building up some momentum now and hopefully we’re going in the right direction but it doesn’t always go to plan but we’ve got a good mix of guys and we just want to build on each performance from now until the end of the season.”A second successive ten-wicket triumph edged Surrey closer to the top two but for Leicestershire, things are not as rosy.

The old guard of Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysore royal family, and Brijesh Patel, the former India batsman, have returned to power in the Karnataka State Cricket Association

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2013The old guard of Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysore royal family, and Brijesh Patel, the former India batsman, have returned to power in the Karnataka State Cricket Association, after sweeping the elections on Sunday. Their group won all 24 posts in the election to the KSCA managing committee.Wadiyar is back as president, a post he lost to Anil Kumble in 2010, and Patel returns as secretary, a role he held for 12 years till he was defeated by Javagal Srinath three years ago. Kumble and Srinath had announced in October that they would not be contesting the elections this year.Wadiyar defeated Sadanand Maiya, who was supported by Kumble, in the presidential race. “I would like to thank all the members of the KSCA for having supported the Wadiyar and Brjiesh group,” Wadiyar said. “It is overwhelming that the entire group of 24 candidates has won this election by convincing margins.”Patel’s rival for the job of secretary was former Karnataka batsman and international umpire AV Jayapraskash. “We can’t expect a better mandate than this, 24 out of 24 is great,” Patel said. “Now we need to deliver in the next three years. Our first target is to see that our Ranji Trophy team does well and that junior cricket is played and revived.”Key officials at KSCA: President – Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, Secretary – Brijesh Patel, Vice-presidents – Sudhakar Rao, Ashok Anand , Sanjay Desai, Treasurer – Dayananda Pai

Division Two champions Lancashire look set to finish the County Championship season unbeaten after strengthening their grip on their final match against Kent

25-Sep-2013
ScorecardRob Key made his fifth Championship century of the season to rescue Kent•PA PhotosDivision Two champions Lancashire look set to finish the County Championship season unbeaten after strengthening their grip on their final match against Kent at Canterbury. Lancashire reached the mid-point of the clash on 75 without loss in their second innings – an overall lead of 99.Having dismissed Kent for 260 to claim a narrow first-innings advantage of 24, Red Rose openers Paul Horton and Luis Reece survived 21 overs through to stumps to dent Kent’s hopes of notching a first home Championship win of the season.Having started the day brightly by taking Lancashire’s final two wickets for the addition of just 15 runs – Ashwell Prince failing to add to his overnight 134 – Kent’s first-innings batting was again found wanting until their former captain Rob Key dug in for his fifth Championship century of the campaign.Responding to Lancashire’s 284, Kent suffered a miserable start and at 7 for 3 the follow-on looked a real possibility until Key saved face with a 118-ball century.The hosts lost opener Sam Northeast for a duck after only 13 deliveries when the right-hander clipped firmly into the hands of midwicket against Kyle Jarvis. Eight balls later and with only a single to his name, Daniel Bell-Drummond then allowed one from Oliver Newby to squeeze through bat and pad and pluck out off stump.Brendan Nash lasted three deliveries before he sparred outside off against Newby to be caught at the second attempt by Tom Smith at third slip as the procession back to the changing rooms continued.However, Key then found a willing ally in fourth-wicket partner Ben Harmison as the pair batted on either side of lunch to add 158 in 35.1 overs – the highest partnership of the game by far. Harmison posted his fifth half-century of an improving campaign from 103 balls while Key looked comfortable throughout as he eased 10 fours and a six during his three-hour ton.Harmison celebrated his fifty with a six off Newby but the bowler enjoyed revenge soon after by trapping the left-hander leg before for 59. The slide continued when Darren Stevens went in similar fashion to the lively Jarvis as Kent’s last five wickets mustered only 41 runs.Sam Billings was superbly caught one-handed at second slip by Andrea Agathangelou, Adam Ball also went leg-before and James Tredwell shouldered arms against Tom Smith to lose his off stump. Key then went for 134, snared by spinner Stephen Parry, who also bowled Kent’s last man Matt Hunn to give Lancashire a narrow lead.At the start of the day Kent required barely half-an-hour to polish off the Lancashire first innings. Debutant Hunn had Prince pocketed at second slip to give the rookie from Suffolk figures of 2 for 51, then Stevens bagged his 200th first-class wicket by having Parry caught in the cordon to deny Lancashire their third batting bonus point.

A group of young, talented Black women are ready to lead a new generation of American soccer stars

The U.S. women's national team means so much to so many people. It's more than just a national soccer team — it's an institution that represents hope, equality, strength, power, and success… all rolled into one.

But for decades, it didn't necessarily look like the people it represented. Like much of high-level women's soccer, there was a lack of diversity at the top of the American game for years.

That's changed now. The new generation of USWNT stars is led by a group of rising, Black up-and-comers, determined to change the game for those after them. They know that they embody those values mentioned above, but they also represent much more.

'Representation does matter'

"I think it's definitely something we and others are aware of," USWNT star Sophia Wilson tells GOAL. "I think it's a major shift in what this team has always been and I think it's a really good thing because I think representation does matter.

"For all the young, women and men and kids and girls and boys of color who have a dream and who want to, whether it's to be on this team or whatever their dream is, I think it's important for them to see people who look like them doing that."

Smith doesn't have to fight these battles alone, though. Crystal Dunn, one of the team's veteran leaders, was a trailblazer before her. From battling stereotypes to changing the way the program thinks about photoshoots, making sure there's more representation in the team's content, Dunn has always approached that national team knowing the type of change she can inspire.

And now, as she looks at the generation following behind her, she sees more change coming. A new USWNT is rising, and it's only just beginning.

"I think for a long time," Dunn tells GOAL, "across all industries, it's not even just women's soccer, as a black woman, we feel like, 'Oh, we're here to just survive this environment', And I'm like, 'No!' We should be here to thrive in this environment and not just be that token black girl that's just like, 'Oh yay, they let you in!' We deserve to feel like we're impactful, that we are gatekeepers, and that we are a vital part of this. We need to continue to push that narrative that we're here to really eat and we're here to really thrive in these environments."

As part of Black History Month, GOAL spoke to both Wilson and Dunn about their experiences as young African-American women in soccer, the moments that defined them, and how this new generation of USWNT stars can lean on each other to alter things forever.

AdvertisementGetty Images'Where are all the black girls?'

Wilson's story so far, the beginnings of which will feel familiar for many African-American soccer players, is quite extraordinary.

"I grew up in a pretty predominantly white area," Wilson tells GOAL, "so where I went to school, the teams that I played on growing up were predominantly white. I was usually one of very few Black players and that was kind of the case throughout my childhood. Even when I changed clubs and was driving down to Denver, it was still the case. I wasn't paying a lot of attention to that, but I would notice it. It would make me wonder 'Why?'. Like, where were all the Black girls? Where were the young Black girls who wanted to play soccer?"

At one point, Dunn, like Wilson, was one of those young Black girls, and she also rarely encountered Black teammates or opponents on Long Island during her youth. For many young, Black players, that's enough of a reason to step away.

All too often, soccer is labeled as a "white" or "Hispanic" sport, one that hasn't always been welcoming or available to young Black players. It was very possible someone like Dunn could be convinced to focus on other activities. Dunn, though, is thankful that she had some advocates standing behind her: her parents.

"At a young age, I did realize that there weren't many in the sport that looked like me," Dunn tells GOAL. "Sometimes, I was the only Black player on the entire field. I was pretty young when I realized. My parents, I would say, did an amazing job of just kind of putting it on my radar but not also making me feel like 'Oh, yeah, like this sport may not be for you because many of us don't play it'. I think they were very much like, 'I want you to be able to see things, keep enjoying it, keep loving it'. I think that's really important, especially as parents, to just educate our kids but, at the same time, always support their dreams. I think I was very fortunate to have parents that really supported mine."

The need for role models

The easiest way to draw someone into a sport, or any activity really, is to give them someone to look up to. Role models are important and, for years, young Black girls had few that looked like them playing at the highest levels of soccer.

There were plenty out there in other sports. Serena Williams inspired millions in tennis, as have Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff in modern times. Simone Biles is a history-maker in gymnastics, while the likes of Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes Candace Parker and Maya Moore have represented basketball at the highest level.

In American soccer, Brianna Scurry is the first everyone points to, and for good reason. The legendary 1999 World Cup goalkeeper captured the hearts of millions during her career.

Dunn, though, points to Williams as the player she saw herself in. She even wore Williams' name on the back of her jersey back in 2019 when players were given the chance to honor influential women in their lives.

"To me, Serena was somebody that looked like me," Dunn says, "and I was able to really connect visually with who she was and everything that she was about as a woman of color in tennis. Tennis was one of those sports that, for a long time, had hardly any Black people in it. I kind of feel like I resonated with her and everything that she went through in her career and was able to follow her journey and be able to be like, 'Okay she's the one who just stuck with it and, therefore, I'm gonna just stick with it'."

We all know how that went for Dunn. She went on to become a legendary figure herself, having amassed 141 caps and counting. For years, though, she was one of the only Black players in the USWNT setup. For example, at the 2016 Olympics, her first major tournament, Dunn was one of just three Black players in the squad.

Eight years younger than Dunn, Wilson remembers watching her now-teammate help set the tone with those national teams. She recalls seeing the likes of Christen Press, Jess McDonald and Adrianna Franch, too.

Wilson, like Dunn, idolized Williams but, on the soccer side, she was blessed with a few more role models to look up to before breaking into the team.

"I would say Crystal's definitely one of them," Smith said when asked about her role models. "I think I was fortunate to grow up in a time where there were a few black players that played for the USWNT but still not very many.

"I am a big Serena fan too. I grew up always watching her and just learning from her and wanting to be her but in my sport. I would say those were the big ones. I'm also a big Marta fan, too. I wanted to emulate her game in a way because she was always crafty, always trying new and different things and I like trying new and different things. I would say those three, for sure."

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Small things, huge difference

It seems like such a small thing for those who haven't lived it, but, for Dunn, it was something that really resonated with her.

She had just made her dream come true by earning her maiden USWNT call-up. Coming up was a photoshoot and, as part of that, all the members of the team were put through hair and makeup. Dunn, though, quickly realized that the setup wasn't going to work for her. There was no one there that knew how to work with Black hair or skin. Dunn had to go to the bathroom and get herself ready. She was the only one there that knew.

It's the type of thing that makes someone feel different, if not unwelcome. And, for Dunn, it made her question herself a bit. Was this a fight worth picking? How could she change this for the better and make sure that the next generation of Black girls wouldn't have to do what she did to have their hair and skin make them feel confident and comfortable?

"When you're one of very few of anything in an environment, I feel like you're constantly battling and figuring out your battles," Dunn says. "Sometimes you can't always fight everything. Sometimes you need to just do it and down the road say that you actually had a problem with it or that you would like this resolved or fixed or whatever.

"That was what my earlier years were all about. I felt like I was the only one and felt like 'Okay, if I'm the only one with this, maybe this is not a big deal'. That comes with being younger. When you're younger, you don't feel like you have that power, that voice to be able to raise any concerns that you may have, no matter how big or small. When you're one of the only few, you have to navigate your battles.

"I think, outside looking in, it's easy to be like, 'Oh, I didn't even think about that', but yeah, that's something that you have to live every time you come into camp and there's a photo shoot or a picture or anything. I'd have to just say that I'm going to go just do my own and hopefully look good with all the photos being taken. Everyone's getting their makeup done professionally, so I always felt like I'd never look like the best version of myself. It's just little things like that that I had to navigate."

Wilson, meanwhile, says she's had similar experiences throughout her career

"Crystal's example is definitely true," Smith says. "I think even now, it's kind of about going out of the way to make sure that there's someone who knows how to do a Black person's hair for photo shoots. If girls want braids or makeup, it does seem like you always had to request that and it's not just something that's been thought of in the same context when you're hiring hair and makeup. That's just a requirement."

Siddhesh Lad showed game awareness and attention to detail on a surface where no batsman was truly settled at any stage stood out as he single-handedly crafted Mumbai’s recovery that eventually set the base for a huge lead and a win

Shashank Kishore in Pune 26-Feb-2016Lad is a very popular surname within Mumbai’s cricketing circles. Dinesh Lad discovered his passion for coaching by accident, when a friend invited him to train a few youngsters at his academy 25 years ago. Since then, he has mentored young batsmen from the city, the most famous among them being Rohit Sharma, who turns to him for advice whenever he gets time to take stock of his game in a choc-a-bloc cricket calendar.While Dinesh fixated himself to help Rohit mature into the batsman he has become, his son Siddhesh, five years junior to Rohit, honed his talent under the tutelage of Pravin Amre at the Shivaji Park Gymkhana. The two trained together and within two years, Siddhesh Lad was scorching the age-group circuit in Mumbai.His team-mates describe him as one of the most studious members of the squad, his serious demeanour at all times prompting them to urge him to smile, and at times raise his bat when he scores a fifty or a hundred, like they encouraged him to when he walked off for a magnificent 88 off just 101 deliveries. He made the most of a reprieve on 24 – a regulation nick that was put down at slip by Cheteshwar Pujara – but his game awareness and attention to detail on a surface where no batsman was truly settled at any stage stood out as he single-handedly crafted Mumbai’s recovery that eventually set the base for a huge lead and a win.”It was a tough wicket to bat, there was something in it right through the day,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “When I went in to bat yesterday, the ball was jagging around. I was coming down late because I was using a heavy bat. I was finding it tough to negate the swing. So when I went out to bat today, I used a light bat; the reaction time was that much lesser, my feet were getting in line too and my bat swing was good. Getting forward and playing through the line became easier and the tendency to edge the ball reduced. So that minor tweak worked to my advantage.”What no scorecard will also reveal was the poise and composure he showed while batting with the last batsman. There were no predetermined strokes and no sense of anxiety on the occasions he could not retain the strike. As the partnership grew, there was also the confidence he placed in Balwinder Sandhu, who had a highest first-class score of 24 prior to this game. After all, it wasn’t the first time he had done this.Time and again, Lad has shown tenacity to bat admirably with the tail. Most times, he has been successful; so successful that his team calls him their “crisis man”. The tag sits quite well on his small shoulders because he is unlikely to figure in lists of ‘players to watch out for’ when opponents sit to plan. But that has not in anyway reduced expectations on him.He marked his arrival in November 2013, after leading the run charts for Mumbai Under-25 in the CK Nayudu Trophy. In only his second game his mettle came to the fore as he scored fifties against Delhi’s attack led by Ashish Nehra. A month later, he held his shape against Karnataka’s four-pronged seam attack on a green top in Bangalore. Faced with a deficit of 152 with five wickets down, Lad combined steel with flair to make a combative 93 that nudged Mumbai ahead by a slim margin. While they went on to lose the game, Mumbai had discovered someone they could persist with.But injuries and illness threatened to cut short his second season. A slip disc kept him out of the last stage of the following season. When he recovered from that, he was struck down by dengue at the start of the 2014-15 season. Eager to make up for lost time – he had also missed out on the India Under-19s bus in 2010 – he returned to action even before he had fully recovered to make 142, a knock that spanned a day and a half, in the Kanga League to once again put himself on the selectors’ radar.He marked his return to first-class cricket after a year with a well-crafted 64 against Bengal, a knock which firmly established his presence. He went on to score 562 runs in 2014-15 – most of them lower down the order – in 13 innings at an average of 43.23. He followed that up with 691 runs this season at 40.64.”I realise that  batting at the position I do, it’s tough to get big hundreds, but batting with the lower order is a challenge I relish,” he said. “It’s a responsibility of a different kind. Sometimes, you go in to bat with the team needing quick runs, at other times you’re batting to arrest a slide, other times you’re in with the tail. For starters, knowing you enjoy the confidence of the team management helps.”Having established a footing in the first-class format, Lad hopes to grow out of the reputation of just being a long-form player. The proof of his transformation was in full view on Friday as he lay into Saurashtra’s frontline seamers against the second new ball, his uninhibited strokeplay displaying another dimension to his all-round game.Last year, Lad was one of only two Mumbai players – Iyer being the other – to be signed up at the IPL auction. While he didn’t get a game, the lessons he learnt just by watching Ricky Ponting, he says, was education. Another solid show in the Irani Cup at home would further strengthen his foothold in a line-up where he has proved to be the calm amidst bashers of the cricket ball.